Step 8: Finish the ring

Step 9: You're done!

You have now made your own simple sterling silver ring. You can try making designs by stamping, drilling, or sawing. Also, two-finger rings are an int...

With the correct equipment and these step by step instructions, anyone can make a simple sterling silver ring. Some abilities required to make a ring include using a saw and using a torch. This project requires much attention in order to complete each step safely. For a repeat ring maker, this process could take two hours or less, while a beginning ring maker may take much longer. Two simple rings are depicted in the images. These steps are important if you are looking to sport your own jewelry creation making it personal at a price comparative to if not better than purchasing a ring.

The materials needed to make a ring may seem unrealistic for a DIY project. Check around your community to find a work space or craft space that may offer open shop hours for you to use their equipment. You'll need:

A great description of the ring-making process. A word of caution about using steel binding wire is in order. Always remove the wire before you drop the ring into the pickle. The iron in the steel wire will cause a chemical reaction that will deposit copper on your silver ring. This is a form of electroplating. Make sure that your tongs are made of either copper or wood. Never put anything in your pickle that contains iron. MRM

I took a metal smith class at a studio called Lillstreet and it was great! i learned how to make my rings in a bit simpler way, all it involved was cuting out the shape, doing whatever you wanted to the piece of metal (texture, put holes in in and what not) than hammer it round on a mandrel with a though leather hammer until it was completely closed (at first until its similar to your shape and than closed as close as possible) than using a bit of silver solder and a premixed acetylene torch, solder it shut, no need for wire! then just sand (using that special sand paper) and polish using grinding wheels with polishing compounds, yes it would heat up but you would hold it on a special piece of wood or something like that

Check your nearest university bookstore. If they don't have basic supplies for jewelrymaking classes, they will know of a place that does. In my college town it was the local comic book store that carried the necessary implements and materials. Crazy, huh?

depends on your country. I guess you could do a google search for "Precious metals services" for the metal. Then I guess it's just search for jewellery supplies online for your saw and solder, etc.. (some precious metals services places also deal with the solders.)

During world war 2, soldiers who found they had a lot of time, such as those in reserves, in the back lines, in the hospital, or POWs, would take a silver half dollar and turn it into a ring to send to their wives or lovers back home. They apparently would punch a hole in the center, and beat the metal from surrounding the hole horizontally until it surrounded it vertically. I have seen such rings, and you can still see part of the original coin design on the outside.

there are things that could be added: Annealing on a charcoal block to prevent firescale. noting that pickle is 10% Sulphuric Acid. Denatured alcohol helps remove remaining polish left on the ring (ultrasonic also helps). You can also tumble the ring by putting it in a pouch with rice and putting it in the clothes dryer (on cold setting) for a couple of hours (Not all of us have purpose tumblers). But that's all beside the point and completely superflous. I like this instructable, it gives a nice insight into simple ring making and all this can be done in the home without buying anything too expensive (tumblers, ultrasonics, etc)

Great Instructable! Reminds me of my wonderful hours in jewelry class in college. Two things I'd point out: The images in Step 6 are out of order. You show the gray ring before the white flux and orange metal. At the polishing stage, I always found it was best to use the ring clamp again, as the metal often heated up to uncomfortable levels, and polishing compounds would get on my hands.